ChicagoUnited

Thanks... exactly... this goes to "new" United's complete disrespect for our time.

WineCountryUA

except for when they did
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...violation.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...then-time.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...ops-delay.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...ayed-time.html
and many more....

jacroweORD

same thing 2 weeks ago...wanted me there at the correct time, even tho there was a 6 hr delay. ridiculous

kenn0223

Thanks for doing all that searching; it must have taken you ages!

My point was the policy has changed, before the policy was that once they delayed a flight you could reasonably expect that it would leave at the revised time. Now the policy is that they will leave when they damn well please.

I think there are plenty of examples here of when UA (pre or post merger) has not followed their own policy. Let's not let reality cloud policy.

TWA Fan 1

Agreed that it is annoying to be kept in limbo in such situations, although at least you got an email notification about a possible delay.

I mostly fly CoEx out of EWR, and, for whatever reason, the ExpressJet flights rarely ever generate delay notifications.

Earlier this year I was in YQB flying CoEx to EWR...30 minutes past the departure time, every media (website, pda site, departure screens at airport, gate display) were showing an on-time departure.

The flight ended up taking off 3 hours late, but nothing ever changed in terms of information.

I find this to be the norm on the CoEx (now UaEx) ExpressJet flights.

WineCountryUA

given the large number of threads (only posted a fraction), it took only about 5 minutes

While there was a posted policy on delays, it was violated so frequently, that it was effectively no policy. You will find the standard FT recommendation for PMUA was be at the gate / gate area / lounge (and ask for an announcement) at original flight time.

kenn0223

Interesting, I was fortunate enough to not have been bitten by the early departure bug and, in fact, benefited from the certainty the old policy provided.

In my view; the change in policy (and change in timeliness of delay notification) is another example of UA's new policies and current IT being customer unfriendly.

emcampbe

Exactly. My wife nearly learned this the hard way, missing the last flight of the night to her destination after her two hour delayed flight went back to being on time. A little different, perhaps, but I got a flight cancellation notice one time on the way to the airport for a mainline flight - called in and got rebooked on Eagle instead. After landing, found out the original flight did leave - believe they ended up combining an ORD-CVG and DAY flight.

Interestingly enough, just yesterday, got an update for a delay for YYZ-ORD after I was already at the airport (knew it was likely anyway, based on a late inbound and not a hub). Got a second message immediately noting that "due to customs hours" I had to arrive an hour before the scheduled flight (scheduled for 4:50pm).

Indelaware

What is so odd about this? You get to the gate at 5:45, double check things, have time for a quick bagel and be back to the gate around 6:10am and have the standard hour or so waiting.

808oman

As a former Airline Dispatcher, we often would have times, especially during ground stops where we end up canceling another leg and take that crew and AC or just crew and put them on the previously delayed flight and run the delayed flight on time.

There are other times when the delayed flight has no other alternatives for reprotecting but another flight has lots of alternatives, so we axe that one and run the delayed flight on time, thus the need to be there early for small delays.

In other situations, I have had times I cancel another flight since the delayed flight is a Lifeguard flight with Vital organs, for example, so we run thy flight on time.

This is partly why, even though x aircraft is running late early in the day, the delays are not posted for the flights later in the day until the last minute, as even in the same line for that aircraft, a R/T could be canceled and run the rest of the line to the overnight on time to not affect the next day's ops, especially when crew overnighting takes the next days flight, especially on "reduced rest" or aircraft or crew swaps or when an aircraft is about to md time out for deferred maintenance and needs to be at a particular hub that night. (Funny that I am on the other side now as a pax, I hate the non transparency, LOL).

If the delay is large or at a station with no mx or crew domicile or on many RJ out stations, there might be not many options, in which case showing up later would make sense, especially since no UC to hang out at in these small stations.

cordelli

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...heck-time.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...un-delays.html

and others

There have also been threads for years and years that they sometimes did unpost delays, despite saying they didn't

kt123

Well, here's another ridiculous email to add to the pile. Received an email yesterday notifying me of a flight cancellation for a flight I took over *2 years ago*!

"Flight CO551 3FEB from RDU to LAX is cancelled. You are now confirmed on CO3122 4FEB departing 6:40 am from gate D6, RDU to LAX via EWR. The flight is now estimated to arrive LAX at 4:15 pm. To obtain new boarding documents, please use self service kiosks, United mobile app, visit united.com, or see a United representative."

Good thing I wasn't relying on the emails to check my flight status.

Indelaware

On the contrary, your time - and that of all other passengers - is of importance to UA and that is why they want to be able to depart from the gate earlier than the forecasted delayed time. While they could do this without you at the gate, as one ought be, that would likely cause a greater dealy for you.

IMO, the only ridiculous thing here is booking a flight at such an early hour. While I am the first to enjoy beign at an airport, at that hour, I'd rather be in bed. But, to each her/his own...

+1

+1

Thank you for this common sense information. I'm always amazed at how often people think that airlines make changes only to injur the particular passenger who is delayed or whose flight is cancelled. But, then common sense isn't that common.

elCheapoDeluxe

I had this happen on a flight SFO-PEK a few weeks ago. The email stated just as you have said. It was a 12pm flight and I was there at 9am for other reasons. As I pulled into the airport I got the email that the flight was delayed until 4:30.

When I checked my bag the ticket counter folks said there was absolutely no reason to stay in the airport, that the plane was taken out of service and the new plane would be arriving from Frankfurt at 4pm. I asked if there was any chance of a plane swap and it returning to an earlier time and they said, no - in this case it was not going to happen since they only had so many 747-400's and they were all needed on that day for long-haul flights. It was a beautiful day - we should take advantage and go up to San Francisco for lunch. Be back by 3:30 and we'll be fine. It beat sitting at the airport for 6 hours, and we got $250 travel credits each for our 4-hour delay.

So - the point is to be at the airport, have your bags checked, and ask. Maybe by the time you are at the airport there is nothing you can do anyway due to the times and your situation. That's life. But if they know you'll be delayed with no chance sometimes they'll let you know. It isn't like they want to keep you in the dark for the sake of taking advantage of you. There is a reason the standard line is what it is, and if there is an exception to the rule the only way you can find out is to talk to the folks at the airport.

sosafan

I received such an email yesterday for an award flight of my wife under my frequent flyer number. Because I got the email, I was able to rebook my wife so that she made an international connection that she would have missed.

Thanks United! ^